High-Fold γ-ray spectroscopy of ¹¹⁷I: Coexistence of Collective and Noncollective Structures

High spin states have been populated in ¹¹⁷  ₅₃I via the ⁹⁰Zr(³¹P,2p2n) reaction at 150 MeV, using the EUROGAM II γ-ray spectrometer to record high-fold γ-ray coincidences. A quadruples γ-ray analysis (γ⁴) has been used to extend the known level scheme. In addition to several aligned noncollective states, a new high-spin band showing characteristics of smooth termination has been established at and linked into the low-spin level scheme. Its structure has been inferred through comparison with cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky calculations.